What are the rules on checking?

[NewbyLaX]

What kind of checks are there that are legal and what kind are not?

[JohnB-6]

NBL,
There are a ton of rules about the checks you can use. Generally you are allowed to body check and stick check.

You can body check an opponent if he has the ball or if he is within 5 yards of a loose ball. You cannot hit him with your helmet, so try hitting with your shoulder. You cannot hit him on HIS helmet, so hit him below the neck and above the waist from IN FRONT. You can hit him from the side, but if the official thinks it was slightly behind the opponent, you will get called for a push from behind. When you body check, you cannot deliver your check while thrusting your arms (think punching), and you have to be holding your stick with both hands when you body check an opponent. You cannot run in from 20 yards out and lay the other player out, you can only take a few steps into him (generally run in at him from 5 yards). Depending on your age and location you may get called for a really vicious hit that takes out the other player, a ref will call in unnecessary (sp?) roughness if you really deck the guy. College can hit a lot more than 3rd graders can.

Then there are stick checks. There are several differnt kinds, poke, slap, lift, one handed, over the head, ice pick, kayak, etc. You can hit the other player on his stick or gloves with your stick, just make sure you maintain control of your check, and do not swing it like a baseball bat. Do not hit him above the shoulders or below the waist, do not hit him on the back, and limit the amount that you hit his arm pads. Excessive beating on his arm will draw a flag, but his gloves are considered part of his stick as long as they are holding his stick. If he is only holding his stick with one hand, you cannot beat on his free hand excessively.

As for the different kind of checks, the poke check is just like it sounds, while holding your stick, slide it through your hands like a billiards cue and hit the other player with the tip of your stick. Very effective and hard to get a penalty with this kind of check. You wont always get the ball away, but you will keep him from making a good pass or shot. If he is holding his stick with two hands, try to poke inside his cuff on his glove, that will really jar the ball loose (or it used to before everyone started playing with illegal sticks).

A slap check is going to be the second check you learn. Take your stick and slap his glove or stick. Its kind of like chopping with an ax, but if use that much force you will get a penalty. Slap your opponent, watch out for his head. If he is carrying his stick with one hand, and you can time it so that your slap check comes in at the same time he cradles his stick forward and they meet, then this is really effective at dislodging the ball. A lift check is similiar, when he is cradling with two hands take your stick and lift his bottom hand up quickly so that the ball rolls out of the top of his stick.

There are dozen of other rules and checks, but Ill let someone else take over for awhile and correct me where I was wrong. Im sure Ill add volumes tomorrow while Im bored at work.

[jimd619]

JohnB that was so good it should be published.

[hockey&lax]

if you are stick checking someone, can you do it one handed as long as you have control of the stick?

[Shock32]

if you are stick checking someone, can you do it one handed as long as you have control of the stick?
Yes, you can, but usually it depends on the age group you are in. Last year I was in U-13, and sometimes the ref would tell us that we could not one-handed check, but usually you can if you keep it under control.

[LaxRef]

if you are stick checking someone, can you do it one handed as long as you have control of the stick?

Youth lacrosse, no. JV and higher, usually yes, but you can't touch the opponent with the free hand.